Australian Eloquence
has unearthed yet another long-forgotten
recording, a Symphonie Fantastique
from that most mercurial and red-blooded
of Berlioz conductors, Charles Munch.
His recordings of this composer's output
for RCA with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
are the stuff of legend.
This recording, despite
bearing Munch's interpretative stamp,
is not in the same class. The biggest
problem is that the orchestral playing
is less than inspired. The Hungarian
orchestra sounds tentative and under-rehearsed.
There is some very attractive string
playing in some of the slower sections
of the music - and in the bucolic third
movement in particular - but when Munch
pushes the tempo their playing becomes
scrappy. The brass and winds are anaemic,
and they are not flattered by the foggy,
reverberant sonics, which obscure the
wind and percussion behind the strings.
The sound comes into better focus if
you turn the volume up. However, this
does not overcome the recording's distinct
lack of bass. The huge tuba notes that
are such a feature of the March to
the Scaffold are inaudible here.
That said, this recording
is not all bad. Munch aficionados will
be interested to compare this interpretation
with his other recordings. His approach
is generally as one would expect: rhapsodic
and thunderously violent by turns. Compared
with his Boston recordings his tempi
are generally slower. He is even more
dreamy and opiated than usual in the
opening of the first movement and, despite
the problems noted above, Munch paints
an atmospheric picture. The second movement's
scene at a ball fares better still,
with some lovely string playing. As
noted above, the third movement comes
off best. Munch is less manic than usual
in the March to the Scaffold
and the final Witches Sabbath,
but there is more fire here than a lesser
conductor could ignite.
You could do a lot
worse than this disc. However, the Symphonie
Fantastique is very well served
on disc, and "not bad" is
not quite good enough. Those who want
to hear Munch in this music at his maniacal
best should look to either of his recordings
with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for
RCA. His 1962 recording, which is now
available as part of a double CD of
Munch's Berlioz recordings (RCA 74321
845 872), is the better of the two,
but his 1954 recording with the same
forces is also excellent (RCA 09026
68979 2). Those who want a good budget-priced
recording of this symphony can also
do better. Australian Eloquence already
has an excellent recording on its books
– Solti's searing 1972 recording with
his crack Chicago band. For a more heart-on-sleeve
approach at budget price, Bernstein's
recording on EMI Double Forte is a prime
recommendation, and is coupled with
an equally exciting Harold in Italy.
Colin Davis's most recent recording
on LSO Live is also available at budget
price and should not be overlooked.
In the final analysis,
Munch's Hungarian Symphonie Fantastique
is good, but not good enough to unseat
his other recordings or to lay a claim
on the general collector. Avid Berlioz
collectors and Munch completists, however,
will find much here to catch their interest.
Tim Perry
Hungarian Radio and Television Orchestra/Charles
Munch 
